The impact of drought on secondary education access in Australia's rural and remote areas. A report to DEST and the Rural Education Program of FRRR

This report examines how drought affects educational access and provision in rural and remote areas, drawing upon interviews with affected communities. The report considers the effects on primary school students, secondary students, tertiary students, and Indigenous students, and the use of allowances, home tutoring, township accommodation for mothers and children, and boarding schools. The problems of decreasing populations, school closures, school retention, post-school opportunities, and travel from remote areas, highlight the close link between communities, social problems, and young people. The areas studied in this project were Hay, Balranald, and Cootamundra in New South Wales; Longreach and Blackall in Queensland; and Cohuna and Kerang in Victoria.